F
or Majhon Phillips, destiny
emerged at the tender age of
three when she began taking
music lessons. Over the course
of three decades, Majhon has pursued
her passion for music as a performer,
teacher, collaborator, entrepreneur. . .
and muse. creative new ideas into action. Over the
years I’ve helped set up several music
businesses. In 2013, I launched Music
As Language in downtown Morgan Hill.
Having my own company allows me to
blend my creative/musical side with my
business side and really tap into all of
my favorite things. upcoming stars, including Esha K, on
songwriting and album production.
And some—including Emily
Hansen, Brianna and Emily Pember,
Lindsay Petroff, Isabella Castaneda,
and Kyle Strenfel—have had starring
roles in live performances around the
Bay Area.
How would you describe your early
years in music? Is it a diverse group who come to you
for music instruction? What is the unique value that Music
as Language brings to South County?
I joined my first band as an 11-year-
old. We called ourselves the Y2K Bugs.
It’s funny looking back, but we were
relevant to the times (when people
worried that computer systems would
fail in the year 2000). I played the
keyboards and sang and we performed
pop and alternative music. My music
studies and performances took me all
over the U.S. and overseas to the UK
and Europe. We have worked with over 400 students
in the past five years. It’s been amazing
to see how their lives have been en-
riched through musical exploration. No
one is too young or too old to explore
the world of music. We have literally
served students from two to 85 years
of age from diverse ethnic, cultural and
religious backgrounds. Like our name
says, music is language—a universal
language all its own and a bridge that
connects people, regardless of their
backgrounds or where they’re from. First, we provide top-tier musical
instruction and opportunities. Many
schools have been forced to drop music
programs due to lack of funding. And
even when they do offer programs,
schools aren’t set up to tailor music
education to individual students. That’s
where we shine—the customization and
personalized attention to each student’s
goals, abilities and passion.
Second, we help students set
and pursue goals while developing
confidence, communication skills,
and stage readiness—skills necessary
for career growth. One of my favorite
stories involves a former student,
Rachel Chambers. A few years ago, she
was speaking at a political summit.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was
in the audience. Rachel was asked,
impromptu, to sing for the chancellor
and her colleagues! Her early musical
training came in handy in what may be
one of the most memorable experiences
of her career.
You have a versatile background,
what path did you pursue in your
studies to arrive where you are now?
I have had the opportunity to pursue
Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level
studies, degrees, and certifications
in many places, including Southeast
Missouri State, the Friedrich
Schiller University and the Weimar
Conservatory in Germany, Portland
State University, the University
of Illinois, Juilliard, and the Lucy
Moses School.
I have accompanied and performed
piano at the professional level, sung
in professional choirs for as a long
as I can remember, and performed
operatic solos! This includes soprano
solos from Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and
Barber's “Agnus Dei,” and a solo recital
with the famed Judith Farris in “The
Tender Land” by Copland. Other per-
formances include roles as Christine in
“Phantom of the Opera” and as Satine
in “Moulin Rouge.” In solo recitals and
performances, I specialized in German
Lieder such as soprano solos by Mozart,
Schubert and Wolf, and soprano opera
arias. It’s been an amazing journey.
Who or what inspired you to start
your company?
When I was eighteen, my entrepre-
neurial instinct kicked in. I like to put
How do you accommodate varied
interests in terms of what students want
to learn and their goals in music?
From our very first meeting with a
new student, it’s all about setting what
we call “guiding goals.” If a student
has a dream of recording an album, or
competing, or performing abroad, or
passing the highest musical exam, we
take all of that into account in building
a program to help them make their
dreams a reality.
Can you give a few examples of student
achievements you’re most proud of?
Some of our students have won inter-
national music competitions and have
performed at Carnegie Hall. They in-
clude Arjun Bharadhwaj, Claire Huang,
Lavender Hwang, Esha K, Anika Prasad,
Ishani Sikdar, Kavita Sundaram, and
Sandhya Sundaram.
Many have passed the advanced
level of Certificate of Merit exams—in
some cases with honors—including
Anika Prasad and Erik Mintz.
Some are focused on songwriting
and have recorded their own EPs and
albums, which have been released
internationally. They include Esha K
and Sarina Sharma. Most recently, I’ve
been collaborating for some of our
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
february/march 2019
Who’s on your team and what distin-
guishes them as teachers and mentors?
One of our intern/apprentice teachers,
Brianna Pember, has been involved
in the Bay Area musical theatre
scene for nearly a decade. She has
appeared with the South Valley Civic
Theater, including the starring role in
“Thoroughly Modern Millie,” and with
other theater groups.
Heather Faulhaber holds a Master’s
degrees from the San Francisco
Conservatory of Music. She performed
as the Diva in the San Francisco and
Seattle productions of Teatro Zinzanni
(2003-2006). Since then, she has
performed with Opera San Jose,
West Bay Opera, and in the Yosemite
Bracebridge Dinners.
We also work with Grammy-winning
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